TORONTO, ON — November 12, 2026 — Cassandra Harvey, a survivor of human trafficking and Executive Director of The Harvey Foundation for Justice and Opportunity, is calling on the Ontario government to address concerns with Bill 119’s coerced debt provisions. The Foundation warns that a framework that places additional burdens on survivors and concentrates access through a single organization risk creating more harm than good.
“Survivors should not be expected to pursue a civil court process because their coerced debt exceeds $50,000,” said Harvey. “The amount of debt someone was forced to incur should not determine how much additional harm they must endure to obtain relief. Legal costs, delays, and having to revisit traumatic experiences can become further barriers to rebuilding a life.”
The Foundation is concerned that the bill’s court-based pathway for disputed debts above the $50,000 threshold could place meaningful relief beyond the reach of survivors. Although the bill allows higher-value disputes to proceed through its simplified process by agreement, survivors should not have to depend on a creditor’s agreement to access an appropriate alternative to court.
The Foundation is also urging Ontario to ensure that survivors have meaningful choice in the organizations supporting their financial recovery. Making one organization the sole gateway to debt recovery can create harmful barriers and does not promote harm reduction. Referral arrangements alone do not resolve the need for choice, trust, and accessible alternatives.
“Survivors must be able to approach different organizations where they feel safe, respected, and believed,” said Harvey. “If someone has experienced harm within an organization, or simply does not feel comfortable there, they should have another pathway to support. Access to financial recovery should never depend on trusting one institution.”
A provincial pilot grounded in survivor expertise
The Harvey Foundation is recommending a Provincial government pilot project that would establish a Survivor Advisory Committee to inform legislation and policy discussions concerning human trafficking, financial exploitation, and debt relief.
The proposed pilot would provide funding to multiple qualified community organizations to develop their own debt recovery programs, incorporating survivor expertise and giving survivors more options for accessing support.
The committee would provide high-level oversight of participating programs and review their performance through consistent reporting. Proposed measures would include:
- The number of clients served and barriers to accessing support.
- The number and value of coerced debts cleared or resolved.
- Processing times, outstanding files, and reasons for delays.
- How funding is spent and the outcomes it produces.
- Survivor feedback on safety, accessibility, and the support received.
Reporting would protect survivors’ privacy while allowing the province to assess whether funded programs are delivering meaningful results.
The proposal remains in development. Its central goals are to expand survivor choice, strengthen accountability, and ensure that lived experience informs both legislation and program delivery.
“There needs to be meaningful space for survivors to speak on legislation before decisions are finalized,” said Harvey. “We bring insight into how these systems operate in real life, where barriers arise, and what needs to change. Our participation must help shape the decisions that affect our lives.”
The Foundation is calling on the provincial government to engage survivors directly, reconsider barriers within the proposed debt recovery framework, and work toward a coordinated system that supports financial recovery without exposing survivors to further harm.
About The Harvey Foundation for Justice and Opportunity
The Harvey Foundation for Justice and Opportunity works to reduce educational and financial barriers for individuals and families materially affected by crime and involvement with the criminal justice system. Its work is grounded in expanding access to education, support, and opportunity.
Media Contact
Cassandra Harvey
Executive Director
The Harvey Foundation for Justice and Opportunity
Website: theharveyfoundation.ca